Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (62-61) 1, Indianapolis Indians (72-50) 16

BOX SCORE

• 2B/CF Jett Williams – 0-for-5, 1 K (.634 OPS)
•  RF Luke Ritter – 2-for-4, 1 R, HR (7), 1 RBI (32) (.688 OPS)
• 1B/lF Ryan Clifford – 1-for-2, 1 K (.550 OPS)

Since his hot start with Syracuse, Williams has cooled down significantly. Ritter was the best performer at the plate and on the mound, which would be Ohtani-esque if it weren’t for the fact he doesn’t pitch.

• RHP Dom Hamel (5.83 ERA) 1 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR allowed (21 of 34 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Jonathan Pintaro (4.88ERA) 2 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K

The first three pitchers allowed 15 of the 16 runs. Ritter pitched two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and lowering his season ERA to 5.40.

Jonathan Santucci. Photo by James Villani, MMO

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (76-39) 0, Portland Sea Dogs (56-58) 2

BOX SCORE

• CF A.J. Ewing – 2-for-4, 1 K (.718 OPS)
• DH Nick Morabito – 0-for-4, 2 K (.761 OPS)
• 3B Jacob Reimer – 0-for-3, 1 BB, 3 K (.790 OPS)

Ewing and Jefrey De Los Santos combined for all five of the Rumble Ponies’ hits, with three more hitters reaching base via the walk. JT Schwartz has had an odd month of August, slashing .200/.333/.200 while walking seven times and striking out twice.

• LHP Jonathan Santucci (2.34 ERA) 5 IP, 3 H, 4 BB, 3 K (50 of 84 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Ryan Lambert (2.08 ERA) 1 1/3 IP, 3 K

Lambert has struck out 11 batters in August, while allowing only three hits in 6 2/3 innings. Santucci had his most walks allowed in a game as a professional, but managed to avoid allowing any of the runs to score.

High-A

Brooklyn Cyclones (67-50) 3, Aberdeen IronBirds (48-67) 6

BOX SCORE

• DH Boston Baro – 0-for-4 (.602 OPS)
• CF Eli Serrano III – 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI (45), 2 SB (9) (.691 OPS)
• C Ronald Hernandez – 1-for-4, 3B, 1 K (.637 OPS)

Hernandez had his second extra-base hit in as many days, utilizing his speed to get a triple. Corey Collins has struggled mightily in August, striking out 19 times in 42 at-bats with zero extra-base hits.

• RHP Noah Hall (2.37 ERA) 4 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 1 K (38 of 67 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Hoss Brewer (2.45 ERA) 1 IP, 1 K

Hall had his eighth start of the season with four or more walks and has only had one start this season where he walked zero batters. Brewer has only walked one batter across 9 2/3 innings in August.

Low-A

St. Lucie Mets (69-47) 4, Palm Beach Cardinals (56-59) 3

BOX SCORE

• 2B Mitch Voit 1-for-5, 3 K (.490 OPS)
• LF John Bay – 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K (1.048 OPS)
• 2B Trey Snyder – 1-for-4, 1 RBI (46), SB (36), 1 BB (.635 OPS)
• CF Yonatan Henriquez – 3-for-4, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 SB (33), 1 K (.752 OPS)

Voit has struck out 12 times in the last six games and has not had an extra-base hit in August. Snyder stole his team-leading 36th base of the season.

• RHP Irving Cota (4.36 ERA) 4 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (49 of 81 pitches for strikes)
• RHP Yuhi Sako (6.00 ERA) 2 IP, 2 H, 3 K

Yuhi Sako bounced back from a rough appearance on Wednesday to earn a two-inning save, striking out three batters in the process.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Jonathan Santucci Shines for Binghamton appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

In other Mets minor league news, the team’s four full-season affiliates came back down to Earth a bit after they combined to go 21-2 last week.

Jonah Tong. Photo Credit: Matt Kipp

Triple-A

The Syracuse Mets lost their last series by dropping four of six games to the Buffalo Bisons. Offense wasn’t the issue, as the Mets scored 42 runs in the six games, including 18 in a shutout win. The 2-4 series record drops Syracuse to 29-34, which has them in seventh place in the 10-team International League East division.

Six Mets hit home runs, including David Villar, who led the team with two. Villar, who is a few weeks into his tenure in the Mets organization, recorded four hits and now owns an .844 OPS in seven games with Syracuse.

Luke Ritter had another breakout week, recording the highest slugging percentage on the team for the series. Ritter went 6-for-19 with two doubles, a home run, and three walks. He was also tied for the team lead with six runs scored. Ritter is really starting to turn it on, owning a .992 OPS in his last 17 games to raise his season OPS to .724.

Drew Gilbert led the team with six RBIs in the series, also recording a double, a triple, and a grand slam. Despite this, Gilbert went just 5-for-23 and had a .699 OPS in the series. His OPS on the season is now .655.

Brandon Sproat looked phenomenal against Buffalo, striking out four over six shutout innings. Sproat now has a 2.25 ERA in his last three starts but still owns a 5.33 ERA on the season. He’s trending the right way.

Frankie Montas made two rehab starts as he looks to work his way to the major league team for his Mets debut, but neither start went well for the longtime major leaguer. In 7 2/3 innings, Montas allowed eight runs, including a whopping six home runs. The stats aren’t pretty, but the most important thing is Montas shakes the rust off and feels healthier each time he pitches.

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Double-A

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies continued their rollicking start to the season with a series win over the Somerset Patriots, grabbing five of the six games. Binghamton has built a formidable lead in the Eastern League Northeast Division, sitting at 38-18 with an 8.5 game lead.

Ryan Clifford and Kevin Parada each hit two home runs in the series, leading the team. Clifford’s home runs were most of his damage, as he recorded just three hits in the series, but he also walked eight times while striking out twice. Parada, meanwhile, did more damage with the bat by recording six hits. He also walked four times and stole a base. Clifford maintains a solid .792 OPS while Parada’s is creeping up and sits at .634.

Jett Williams played really well in the series, even after getting hit on the helmet with a fastball. He finished the week with six hits, including two doubles, and also had five walks and a stolen base. Williams owns a stellar .849 OPS.

D’Andre Smith also had a fantastic week, leading the team with seven RBIs. Smith added three doubles, a triple, a home run, three walks, and a stolen base. Smith, whose RBI total jumped from four to 11, now owns a .747 OPS.

In addition to what Jonah Tong did this week, Zach Thornton added yet another gem to what has been a brilliant season, allowing one run over 6 2/3 innings while striking out eight. Through seven starts in Binghamton, Thornton owns a 2.13 ERA. In 11 starts total, he owns a 1.53 ERA.

Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

High-A

The Brooklyn Cyclones cooled off a bit, splitting their series with the Wilmington Blue Rocks. At 39-18, they retain a tight lead in the South Atlantic League North division, up 1.5 games.

Offense was hard to come by for the Cyclones, but Carson Benge still had a solid week. Benge led the team in several categories, including hits (six), doubles (three), runs (five) and tied for RBIs (four). Benge also recorded a stolen base.

Despite poor performances with the bats, the Cyclones still did some damage on the basepaths. Marco Vargas led the team with five steals, while A.J. Ewing and Chris Suero swiped four bags each. Ewing extended his organizational lead in stolen bases as he now has 41 in 51 games.

Jonathan Santucci delivered arguably the best start of the week for the Cyclones, continuing his resurgence after a rough start to the year. Santucci struck out five over 5 1/3 innings, lowering his ERA to 4.32. His ERA over his last four starts is 0.44.

Nate Dohm and Joel Díaz also delivered solid starts. Dohm struck out six over five scoreless innings while Díaz allowed one run in five innings. Dohm now has a 2.51 ERA in Brooklyn and a 2.95 ERA overall, while Díaz lowered his ERA to 3.83.

Sean Manaea made his first rehab start of the year as he also looks to work his way back to the major league team for his 2025 debut. Manaea struggled, allowing four runs (three earned) in 1 2/3 innings. He also hit a batter and struck out two. Like with Montas, the most important thing for Manaea is feeling comfortable and healthy, and the Mets will take their time with his rehab as their rotation continues to excel.

Jonathan Santucci. Photo by James Villani, MMO

Low-A

The St. Lucie Mets lost four of their six games against the Dunedin Blue Jays, recording just 15 runs in what was a quiet series. The Mets are now 30-26 and own a four-game lead in the Florida State League East division.

Yohairo Cuevas stood out for the Mets, tying Colin Houck for the team lead with six hits while also leading the team with four runs. Cuevas raised his OPS on the year to .755.

Houck also had a solid week, going 6-for-17 with a double, two walks, and a stolen base. Houck has been a lot better lately than he was earlier in the season. Going back to May 2, Houck has an .853 OPS in 29 games and owns a .771 OPS for the season.

In his first start with the St. Lucie Mets after starting the year with the FCL Mets, Jose Chirinos delivered by striking out seven over 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Chirinos has made just five appearances (four starts) this year across these two levels, but he’s looked fantastic. He currently owns a 1.80 ERA.

Edgar Moreta continued his great season, striking out eight and allowing one run in 5 2/3 innings. Moreta lowered his ERA in St. Lucie to 3.27.

Franklin Gomez also shined in his start, striking out six over 3 2/3 hitless innings. Gomez owns a 3.15 ERA in six appearances this year, looking better than he did last year when he accumulated a 4.28 ERA.

FCL Mets

The FCL Mets had a good week, going 3-1 to improve their record to 9-13. They are tied in last place with the FCL Marlins in the Florida Complex League East division.

• Randy Guzman played great in three games, recording two home runs and five RBIs. The outfielder has a .934 OPS in 19 games.
• Jeffry Rosa also had a good week, recording a home run in nine at-bats. Rosa owns an .807 OPS in 14 games.
• Jace Hampson, the Mets’ 18th-round pick in 2024, allowed one run in four innings in his start. He owns a 2.77 ERA in five appearances.
• Jose Guevara also looked great, allowing an unearned run in three innings in his start. He has a rough 9.00 ERA in five appearances.

DSL Mets

The DSL Mets Orange went 2-3 this past week, putting them at 3-3 on the young season. The DSL Mets Blue, meanwhile, went 0-5 and are now 0-6 to start their season.

Six games into his professional career, Elian Peña has yet to collect a hit. The highly touted international prospect is 0-for-17 with two RBIs, two walks, and three stolen bases.

Yunior Amparo (1.375 OPS) and Alex Acosta (1.121 OPS), both playing for DSL Mets Blue, have been impressive in a very small sample size. Osiris Calvo (0 ER, 3 1/3 IP) and Deivy Victora (1 ER, 5 2/3 IP), both pitching for DSL Mets Orange, have also impressed.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

• AVG – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – .34
• OPS – Jacob Reimer (BRK) – .96
• HR – Jon Singleton (SYR) – 1
• SB – A.J. Ewing (STL/BRK) – 41

Pitching

• ERA – Zach Thornton (BRK/BNG) – 1.53
• SO – Jonah Tong (BNG) – 83
• WHIP – Zach Thornton (BRK/BNG) – 0.699

Players of the Week

Offense – Luke Ritter, IF/OF Syracuse

Offense was hard to come by this week for the Mets’ minor league affiliates. Ritter didn’t have a jaw-dropping set of games, but he did enough to earn offensive player of the week. Ritter started the season off on a poor note after a strong 2024, but he’s rebounded nicely recently.

Pitching – Jonah Tong, P Binghamton

Jonah Tong is dominating pretty much every time he takes the mound. He’s a strikeout artist whose WHIP is just north of 1.000. He’s allowed 11 earned runs in 10 starts this season and is making his case to move on to Syracuse.

Upcoming Schedule – June 10-15

• Triple-A Syracuse: @ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
• Double-A Binghamton: @ Richmond
• High-A Brooklyn: vs. Asheville
• Low-A St. Lucie: @ Daytona

The post Minors Weekly Report: Jonah Tong Delivers Another Hitless Performance appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Luke Ritter. Photo by Kylie Richelle of the Syracuse Mets

Triple-A

Buffalo Bisons (5-12) 6 vs. Syracuse Mets (9-10) 1

BOX SCORE

• RF Luke Ritter 1-for-4, 2B, (.609 OPS)
• 1B Joey Meneses 1-for-3, 2B, (.896 OPS)
• 2B Donovan Walton 2-for-3, (.641 OPS)

Syracuse’s offense struggled to generate much offense, mustering only six hits with just one run to show for it, featuring doubles from Luke Ritter and Joey Meneses.

• RHP Brandon Waddell  6 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 5 K  (1.40 ERA)
• RHP Dedniel Núñez  1 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 K (5.14 ERA)
• RHP Kevin Herget 1 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K (6.35 ERA)
• RHP Austin Warren 1 IP, 1 ER, 1 H, 2 BB (4.70 ERA)

Brandon Waddell threw strong innings, allowing one earned run, but the bullpen struggled to keep the Bisons off the scoreboard, allowing a combined three earned runs.

Nolan McLean. Photo by Bronson Harris of Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Double-A 

Reading Fightin Phils (5-9) 1, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (6-6) 6

BOX SCORE

• 2B McNeil 2-for-5, 2 H, HR, RBI (1.400 OPS)
• 1B Ryan Clifford 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI (.713 OPS)
• LF Nick Morabito 1-for-3, HR, RBI (.586 OPS)
• C Alvarez 1-for-5, BB (.507 OPS)

The Rumble Ponies broke out the bats on Saturday, combining for three home runs from the torpedo bat-wielding Jeff McNeil, Ryan Clifford, and Nick Morabito.

• LHP McLean  6.0 IP, 2 H, 4 BB, 8 K  (0.60 ERA)
• LHP Daniel Juarez  2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 H, 2 K (9.00 ERA)
• RHP Luis Moreno   1 IP, 1 K (20.25 ERA)

Nolan McLean continued his brilliant start to the season, tossing six scoreless innings, followed by a strong bullpen performance.

Eli Serrano III. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

High-A

Aberdeen IronBirds (6-8) 3, Brooklyn Cyclones (10-4) 4

BOX SCORE

• CF Eli Serrano III 1-for-3, RBI (.804 OPS)
• C Chris Suero 0-for-4, RBI (1.153 OPS)
• 2B Diego Mosquera  1-for-4, RBI  (.651 OPS)
• SS Jesus Baez  2-for-4 (.229 OPS)

The Cyclones pulled out a win against the IronBirds on  Saturday with clutch hits from Eli Serrano and Jesus Baez, both collecting key hits leading Brooklyn to victory.

• RHP Paul Blackburn 2.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 1 K (4.50 ERA)
• RHP Eduardo Herrera 1.0 IP , 1 H (0.00 ERA)
• RHP R.J. Gordon  4.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 4 K (3.09 ERA)
• RHP Jace Beck   2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 K (5.79 ERA)

Paul Blackburn looked a bit shaky in his first rehab start since being placed on the injured list with knee inflammation, but was backed up by a strong showing from the pen featuring a combined two earned runs over seven innings.

A.J. Ewing. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Single-A

St. Lucie Mets (7-7) 4,  Tampa Tarpons (7-7) 3

BOX SCORE

• 2B A.J. Ewing  3-for-4 , RBI , 2 BB (1.150)
• CF Yonatan Henriquez 1-for-4, RBI, BB (.421 OPS)
• RF Simon Juan 1-for-5, RBI, 2 R  (.325 OPS)

St. Lucie clinched Saturday’s win with a walk-off single by A.J. Ewing, backed by key hits from Simon Juan and Yonatan Henriquez.

• RHP Will Watson 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 4 K (0.71 ERA)
• RHP Dylan Tebrake 1.0 IP, 1 K (0.00 ERA)
• RHP Edgar Moreta 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 5 K (8.22)
• RHP Chandler Marsh 2.0 IP, 5 K (0.00)

2024 draftee and rising prospect Will Watson threw five innings of one-run ball alongside Edgar Moreta, who allowed just one run over four innings in relief. Chandler Marsh also dazzled, tossing two scoreless innings while striking out five in the process.

The post Mets Minors Recap: McNeil, Alvarez Have Big Days As Rehab Continues appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Syracuse Mets (2-2) 5, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (2-3) 1

BOX SCORE

• 1B Joey Meneses: 2-for-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI (2), K (1.188 OPS)
• 2B Luke Ritter: 1-for-3, R, BB, 2 K (.757 OPS)
• DH Billy McKinney: 2-for-4, 2 R (.438 OPS)
• LF Travis Swaggerty: 1-for-2, 2 RBI (2), BB (.614 OPS)
• SS Donovan Walton: 1-for-5, RBI (1) (.513 OPS)

With Syracuse decimated by injuries on the offensive side of the ball, they trotted out a lineup featuring only one Mets offensive player who was in the organization in 2024. Despite this, the bats kept it moving with Joey Meneses delivering a 2-for-4 day at the plate with two RBIs. Travis Swaggerty also added two RBIs while going 1-for-2 at the plate with a walk.

• RHP Dom Hamel (0.00 ERA) 5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (38 of 57 pitches for strikes)
• LHP Anthony Gose (0.00 ERA) 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB
• RHP Austin Warren (4.91 ERA) 2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

Hamel came out of the gate looking to improve on a poor 2024 season, and he sure did, allowing no runs on two hits in five innings while striking out three batters and walking none. He allowed a hit to his first batter of the game and a hit in the third inning and never allowed another baserunner to get beyond first base. Hamel threw 38 of his 57 pitches for strikes. The Syracuse bullpen would keep it going, with lefthander Anthony Gose going two scoreless innings, allowing a hit and a walk, and righty Austin Warren going two innings as well, allowing a run on one hit with two walks and four strikeouts. No Mets pitcher allowed an extra base hit.

Syracuse will continue its series against the RailRiders on Thursday at 6:35 P.M. The RailRiders will send out LHP Brandon Leibrandt (0-0, 2.25 ERA), and Syracuse will send out RHP Blade Tidwell (0-0, 1.80 ERA).

The post Hamel Delivers Strong Start In Syracuse Win appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Blade Tidwell. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Triple-A
Syracuse Mets (1-o) 4, Worcester Red Sox (0-1) 3

Box Score

Blade Tidwell was sharp for Syracuse on Opening Day in Worcester, hurling five innings of one-run ball against the Red Sox affiliate. He struck out five, walked one, and gave up one hit, throwing 41 of his 62 pitches for strikes. The 23-year-old righty went 1-9 with a 5.93 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in 85 innings pitched at Syracuse last season.

• Joey Meneses 1B: 3-4, 2 2B, R, K
• Luke Ritter 3B: 3-4, SB, R, K
• Jakson Reetz C: 1-4, HR, K
• Donovan Walton 2B: 1-4, RBI BB, K
• Gilberto Celestino RF: 2-4, RBI, R, SB, K

Joey Meneses and Luke Ritter both went 3-for-4 to lead the offense. Meneses, who hit .231/.291/.302 in 313 plate appearances with the Washington Nationals last year, had two doubles. Jakson Reetz hit a solo homer in the seventh inning to give Syracuse to a 2-1 lead.

• RHP Blade Tidwell (0-0, 1.80 ERA) 5 IP, H, ER, BB, 5 K
• LHP Anthony Gose 1 IP, 2 BB
• RHP Austin Warren 1.2 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 2 K, W
• LHP Génesis Cabrera 1.1 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 K, SV

Diego Castillo broke a 2-2 tie with a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning. Celestino added an insurance run with an RBI single. Génesis Cabrera gave up a solo home run to Abraham Toro in the ninth, but held on for the save.

The post Minor League Recap: Tidwell Sharp for Syracuse appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

It’s the season after the draft where numbers for prospects start to pop, but thanks to the pandemic, there was no minor league baseball. In 2021, he went to High-A and hit .232/.311/.436 over 73 games with 14 home runs. Ritter had a fairly average 2022 season slashing .204/.311/.361 with 15 home runs across Binghamton and Syracuse.

In 2023, Ritter finally started to turn some heads. He started the year back down in Binghamton (Double-A) and had a .958 OPS over 43 games. He then got promoted back to Triple-A Syracuse and had a .808 OPS over 64 games; both of these were career-highs in the minor league. In total, he hit 27 home runs while slashing .244/.372/.496.

Luke Ritter. Photo by Herm Card

Then, last season, he just went on a tear, slashing .257/.369/.480 with 26 home runs over 134 games for Syracuse. His power last year coincided at the same time when the Mets’ offense was faltering. His play earned him a spot on Team USA for the Premier12 tournament this past offseason where he went 5-for-20 with two doubles and a home run.

Ritter has shown in the minors that he has some pop. There are just a lot of players in front of him on the depth chart. At the major-league level there is Pete Alonso, Mark Vientos, and Jesse Winker. Ritter is also competing against Joey Meneses and Jared Young. Young has the upper hand right now because he is on the 40-man roster.

Ritter hasn’t had a great start to spring so far, going 1-for-13 across six games with four strikeouts. To move up the depth chart, he has to show that 2023 and 2024 were not flukes. He has a solid chance of being called up at some point this summer, especially because he’s 28-years old and the Mets are going to need to determine what they have in Ritter. If he goes on a streak again this spring, he may push out other bench players.

The post 2025 NRI Preview: Luke Ritter appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Mets have decided to not add any eligible players to the 40-man roster to protect them from the MLB Rule 5 draft on December 11. The team’s 40-man roster remains at 34 players.

However, this means that Dom Hamel, Mike Vasil, Luke Ritters, and other players listed below are now exposed to being taken in the draft. If they are, they must remain on the active 26-man roster all season in order for the player to remain with the team that drafted him. If the team cuts said player, the original team can purchase his contract back for $50,000.

Vasil and Hamel could both be acquired and used in another team’s bullpen.

Dedniel Núñez was a recent player acquired from the Mets in the Rule 5 draft, but he got injured with the Giants and he returned to the Mets at the end of the year.

Original Post, November 18, 4:00 p.m.

Each offseason, every MLB team has to make some tough decisions. It doesn’t get easier for teams when deciding which players they should add to their 40-man rosters to protect them from the Rule 5 draft. The Mets have an extensive list of players this offseason who are Rule 5 eligible.

The 2024 Mets season proved some of their youth at the Major League level had promise, but the 2025 roster will look much different due to so many free agents expected to leave. Entering Monday, the Mets have 33 players on the 40-man roster. There is a priority for the 2025 offseason for starting pitching and bullpen help, so the Mets may be more inclined to use their available 40-man roster spots on pitchers. This list is just speculation, but it is worth getting to know some of the Rule-5 eligible players who may be protected by the Mets or be targets for other teams.

The Mets must decide whether or not to protect the following players by 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

Mike Vasil. Photo by Rick Nelson

Mike Vasil, RHP (Triple-A)

Mike Vasil came into the 2024 season knocking on the door to get his shot with the big club – but nothing seemed to go according to plan for him. Vasil was hit hard in Syracuse, running a 6.04 ERA while striking out 109 batters and walking 52 in 134 innings.

While Vasil shows a decent four-pitch mix, the results weren’t there, and his control seemed to abandon him more often than not. Despite this, the Mets are looking to rebuild most of their rotation, and having Vasil as near MLB-ready depth is worth mentioning.

Prediction: Added

Dom Hamel, RHP (Triple-A)

Like Vasil, Dom Hamel had a rough 2024 season in Syracuse, with a 6.79 ERA while walking 77 batters and striking out 124 over 124 2/3 innings. Hamel also has a four-pitch mix, but his ultimate home may be in the bullpen unless he can improve his control. Yet again, with so many vacancies in Flushing, it would be hard to see the Mets not protecting a Triple-A starter who does have upside and is only a year removed from a much better 2023 season that saw him pitch to a 3.85 ERA and strike out 160 batters in 124 innings in Double-A.

Prediction: Added

Luke Ritter, UTIL (Triple-A)

“Ritter The Hitter” had a good season in Triple-A, slashing .257/.369/.480 with 26 home runs and 93 RBIs while walking 73 times and striking out 174 times. Ritter saw playing time at every infield position except shortstop and played left field. While he is not spectacular in the field, he has shown power and the ability to draw walks but strikes out too much for the profile to be sustainable. Another factor working against Ritter is his age, as he will start the 2025 season as a 27-year-old.

Prediction: Not Added

JT Schwartz, 1B (Triple-A)

JT Schwartz, a fourth-round pick in the 2021 draft, has always hit for a solid average but has never developed any power, hitting 20 home runs over four minor league seasons. The Mets organization tried to get him some positional versatility this year, with seven starts at third base in Double-A, but a non-power-hitting first baseman isn’t something many teams are interested in.

Prediction: Not Added

Hayden Senger, C (Triple-A)

Hayden Senger was a Mets 24th-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft and has climbed the ladder gradually every year, spending most of his injury-shortened 2024 season in Syracuse. Senger is a solid defender without much power to offer, but is a solid organizational catcher. He traveled with the Mets’ during their 2024 postseason run as an emergency backup catcher.

Prediction: Not Added

Nate Lavender, Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Nate Lavender, LHP (Triple-A)

Lavender is the most curious case because he will likely miss the 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in May. Lavender struck out 86 batters across two levels over 54 innings, only allowing 39 hits. A high-upside southpaw could be enticing to another team but the unknown recovery table could make the reliever less attractive.

Prediction: Not Added

Rowdey Jordan, 2B/3B (Double-A)

Rowdey Jordan repeated the 2024 season at Double-A and performed worse than he did in 2023. Jordan offers some speed, having stolen 55 bases over the last two seasons but not much in the way of power, and saw his walk rate go down and his strikeout rate go up. Jordan’s best position is second base, and the Mets seem to be set at second base both at the major league level and with some of the higher-level prospects.

Prediction: Not Added

Joander Suarez, RHP (Triple-A)

Suarez was dominant for a stretch in 2024 with Binghamton – however, that same success did not carry over to Syracuse. While Suarez doesn’t have the greatest stuff, he knows how to use it and limits walks. Suarez allowed five home runs in nine Triple-A innings, so maybe the wear and tear of a long season got the best of him. Adding him could be a bit on the fringe, but starters with a 2.1 BB/9 can be useful in any organization.

Prediction: Not Added

Jawilme Ramirez, RHP (High-A)

Ramirez is the sole person on this list who went to play in the Arizona Fall League and had an average performance. The 2024 season saw Ramirez pitch only 73 innings and strike out 61 batters against 37 walks. Ramirez will play the 2025 season as a 23-year-old, and while there is still an upside, he is far from a finished product.

Prediction: Not Added

Matt Allan, RHP

Matt Allan’s career has been derailed by injuries, and he hasn’t thrown a pitch in a professional game since 2019. Allan was a 2019 third-round pick who they signed away from a college commitment for $2.5 million. I would love nothing more than to see Allan pitch in the 2025 season at any level, but there is no need to protect him as a 23-year-old with 10 1/3 professional innings under his belt.

Prediction: Not Added

Other Rule 5 Decisions:

• Matt O’Neill, C
• Drake Osborn, C
• Vincent Perozo, C/1B
• William Lugo, INF
• Junior Tilien, INF
• Jefrey De Los Santos, INF
• Wyatt Young, INF
• Matt Rudick, OF
• Omar De Los Santos, OF
• TJ Shook, P
• Luis Moreno, P
• Felipe De La Cruz, SP
• Landon Marceaux, SP
• Douglas Orellana, SP
• Luis R. Rodriguez, SP
• Trey McLoughlin, RP
• Josh Hejka, RP
• Nolan Clenney, RP
• Joshua Cornielly, RP
• Raimon Gomez, RP
• Layonel Ovalles, RP
• Jeremy Peguero, RP

The Rule 5 Draft will take place on Dec. 11 at the Winter Meeting in Dallas. There is a major league portion and minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft. If selected in the major league portion, a player must remain on his new team’s major league roster for the entire upcoming season, or else he’s offered back to his original team. Players picked in the minor league phase aren’t forced to remain on a specific roster and can’t be offered back to their original organization.

The post Mets Don’t Protect Any Players From Rule 5 Draft appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The Marlins have found their new manager, hiring Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough to replace the recently departed Skip Schumaker. McCullough managed in the Blue Jays minor league system for eight seasons and spent the last four years on the Dodgers’ major league staff.

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

Mets minor leaguer Luke Ritter went 2-for-3 with a home run as Team USA crushed the Netherlands by run rule, 12-2, in the Premier12 tournament. The Americans will face Venezuela today at 7 p.m. EST.

Former Met Juan Lagares was back at Citi Field over the weekend for LIDOM action with Aguilas Cibaenas. Lagares posted a picture on Instagram to signify his return to where his major league career began.

Latest on MMO

James Villani looks at four cost-effective left-handed relievers the Mets could target.

Dom Barone profiles Tommy Kahnle as a free agent.

James Villani grades Luis Severino‘s performance this season.

David Melendi profiles Jesse Winker as he hits free agency.

On This Date in Mets History

1998: The Mets reacquire Bobby Bonilla from the Dodgers in exchange for Mel Rojas. Bonilla is coming off a down year, posting a .714 OPS with 11 homers in 381 plate appearances.

2019: Pete Alonso is named the NL Rookie of the Year, receiving 29 of the 30 first-place votes. Alonso hit a rookie-record 53 homers and drove in 120 runs.

Born On This Date: Roberto Hernández (1962), Dave Telgheder (1966), Damion Easley (1969), Mike Bacsik (1977), Vinny Nittoli (1990), P.J. Conlon (1993).

The post Morning Briefing: Marlins Hire Clayton McCullough As New Manager appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Of course, there are several intriguing bats that headline such system, including the likes of Jett Williams, Drew Gilbert, and Ryan Clifford, among others. Who were some of the underrated names in the system who had strong offensive years in 2024?

Nick Morabito. Photo by Steven Wojtowicz of Metsmerized

Nick Morabito

The 21-year-old Nick Morabito certainly has some pedigree to him. Morabito was drafted in the second round in 2022 and has quickly made his way up from the Florida Complex League to High-A Brooklyn by the end of 2024.

To start the season, the right-handed hitting outfielder began in Single-A St. Lucie and slashed .397/.530/.513, which was good for a 1.043 OPS. He was quickly called up to High-A Brooklyn where he remained for the rest of the season, slashing .294/.373/.374 (.747 OPS) over 377 at-bats. Between the two levels, Morabito posted a .312 average to go along with a .403 on-base percentage and 59 stolen bases. That .403 on-base percentage ranked 24th among all minor-leaguers who played between the Single-A and Triple-A level this season. Additionally, not only did his overall .312 comfortably lead the whole Mets system in 2024, but his wRC+ of 135 also ranked first, slimly ahead of Ryan Clifford.

Of course, there is some concern in terms of how much power Morabito can actually muster. His slugging percentage was less than his on-base percentage at both the Single-A and High-A levels. Specifically, only 26 of his 142 hits on the year were of the extra-base variety.

Overall, Morabito excels at walking a ton, and does a great job of getting the barrel to the ball to generate base hits while causing chaos on the basepaths with his base-stealing acumen. However, the power is certainly a question mark. Regardless, it was a terrific 2024 for an intriguing prospect in the Mets’ system.

Luke Ritter. Photo by Kylie Richelle of the Syracuse Mets

Luke Ritter

When might Luke Ritter finally get his shot? Ritter has been one of the better bats in the Mets’ system the last two seasons. After posting a .868 OPS across Double-A and Triple-A in 2023, Ritter followed that up with a .849 OPS in 2024 over a full season at the Triple-A level. Ritter’s 122 wRC+ in 2024 ranked third in the Mets’ system.

Overall, Ritter slashed .257/.369/.480 to go along with a system-leading 26 home runs and 93 RBIs. No one in the Mets system got close to these numbers; Ryan Clifford ranked second in each at 19 homers and 68 RBIs. Ritter’s 93 RBIs ranked second in the whole International League (Triple-A).

The concern for Ritter has always been a high strikeout rate (30.7% and fifth-highest in the International League). However, the power has been undeniable and he does still walk a lot (fifth-most walks in the International League). He also brings some defensive versatility, playing innings at first base, second base, third base, and left field in 2024. Is 2025 the year Ritter finally gets a look at the major-league level?

Boston Baro. Photo by Ed Delaney of MMO

Boston Baro

Boston Baro was selected in the eighth round in 2023 and had a very strong first full professional season. The now 20-year-old Baro spent a majority of his 2024 in Single-A St. Lucie before getting a late call-up to High-A Brooklyn. With St. Lucie, Baro posted a .288/.368/.399 slash line with a .767 OPS. After his call-up, he only got 44 at-bats where he hit .205.

Overall, Baro posted the eighth-highest wRC+ in the Mets’ system in 2024 at 117. His .278 batting average came in at fourth-highest. He also barely struck out, posting a strikeout rate of only 18.1%, which was the sixth-lowest in the system.

Being only 20-years-old, the versatile infielder still has tons of time to develop. However, it was certainly a very encouraging first full professional season for Baro.

The post Three Strong Hitting Performances Within The Mets System In 2024 appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

On Wednesday afternoon, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns addressed the media for his post-season press conference. While there were plenty of quotes regarding pending free agents, including the mention of wanting to bring back both Pete Alonso and Jesse Winker, Stearns also gave updates regarding injured Mets.

First was right-handed relief pitcher Dedniel Núñez, who was severely missed by the Mets’ bullpen down the stretch run of the season. The Mets’ president of baseball ops said that Núñez is progressing well after missing the last month of the season due to a strained flexor tendon in his right arm; the club hopes to get him back on the mound by November, and have a normal offseason if that goes well.

The other major piece of injury news was not as positive, as Mets prospect Ronny Mauricio has not started baseball activities while his rehab has not progressed as quickly as the club hoped for. Mauricio tore his ACL last offseason during his stint in the Dominican Winter League and is trying to get back on the field some time in 2025.

For a full breakdown of Stearn’s presser, click here!

Photo by Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports

Latest Mets News

The Mets’ seventh-round pick in the 2019 draft, Luke Ritter, was selected by USA Baseball to represent the nation at the WBSC Premier 12 Tournament, which will feature the top 12 baseball nations in the world, per Taylor Eldridge of The Wichita Eagle. 

The League Championship Series was the most-watched since 2017, per MLB Communications. Game 1 of the NLCS between the Mets and Dodgers drew more than 20.6 million viewers in the United States and Japan. 

Alex Cohen, wife of Mets owner Steve Cohen, announced she is taking a social media break, but made sure to show her love for Mets Nation prior to doing so. “You guys have been the best fans any team could ever ask for,” she wrote.

Latest MLB News

The Miami Marlins will interview Los Angeles Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough for their vacant managerial position, per Isaac Azout of Fish On First.

Netflix has officially premiered its documentary on the 2004 World Series champion Boston Red Sox, titled “The Comeback.”

Sam Blum and C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic detailed what it feels like for major leaguers whose big league cameos resulted in World Series jewelry. 

The Tampa Bay Rays re-signed RHP Michael Flynn to a minor league deal with a spring training invite, per Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors. Tampa acquired him in a trade where they sent the Dodgers Amed Rosario. 

Latest on MMO

MMO writers gathered to give the Mets’ miracle season a letter grade.

Ronny Mauricio is not doing baseball activities following his ACL surgery. 

David Stearns addressed the media in his post-season press conference. 

On This Date in Mets History

2019: The MLBPA announces Pete Alonso as the NL Outstanding Rookie and Jacob deGrom as the NL Outstanding Pitcher for the 2019 MLB season. 

2006: Carlos Delgado is awarded the Roberto Clemente Award; Clemente is the reason Delgado wore 21. 

2000: Al Leiter becomes the second Met to ever win the Roberto Clemente Award, joining Gary Carter. 

2000: The Mets beat the Yankees in Game 3 of the World Series behind a Benny Agbayani go-ahead RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Born On This Date: Omar Quantanilla (1981), Mike Matthews (1973), Junior Ortiz (1959), Ron Gardenhire (1957).

The post Morning Briefing: Dedniel Núñez Progressing Well appeared first on Metsmerized Online.